Anxiety and female sexual functioning: An empirical study

Abstract. Previous research regarding anxiety and female sexual functioning has yielded conflicting conclusions. This study examined the impact of state/trait anxiety and anxiety sensitivity on sexual responding and the propensity towards sexual inhibition/excitation in women without an anxiety disorder (n = 100, M age = 28.8) compared to women with an anxiety disorder (disorder or generalized anxiety disorder, n = 30, M age = 30.2). Participants completed self-report measures of state and trait anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, sexual functioning, and sexual inhibition/excitation. Women with an anxiety disorder reported worse sexual functioning compared to those without an anxiety disorder (except for desire, lubrication, and pain) and a greater propensity towards sexual inhibition, due to the threat of performance failure and its consequences. Dispositional anxiety and related worries significantly predicted various types of sexual dysfunctions. Findings suggested the importance of considering the relationship between anxiety and sexual functioning to design optimal prevention and therapeutic interventions for women with anxiety disorders. Keywords: anxiety, female sexual functioning, female sexual arousal, sexual inhibition/excitation.